Movies made in Hong Kong
Some Characteristic Reflected in the Names of Movies...
- Code-Mixing
我要做Model (Super Model)
This is a made-in-Hong-Kong movie which was released in 2004. Its Chinese name actually means " I wanna be a model". It is a typical example showing the code-mixing condition in Hong Kong, the use of English in a Cantonese/ Chinese sentence. The equivalent of "model" in Cantonese "Mou Dak Ji (模特兒)" is indeed seldom used in daily conversation.
- Punning
C+ 偵探 (The Detective)
This movie was released in 2007. The name has the features of code-mixing as well as punning with the pronunciation of English and Cantonese. The Chinese "偵探" in the name of the movie has the meaning of "detective". C+ here can mean the grade "C+", which implicate that this detective is not a very good one; "C+" also has the same pronunciation with the Cantonese words "Si Gaa (私家), which has the meaning of "private".
- Incorporating the Idea From Foreign Movies
爛賭夫鬥爛賭妻(Mr and Mrs Gambler)
This is a recent movie released in this year (2012). Do you find the poster and even the name of this movie is quite familiar? Yes, the idea is from史密夫決戰史密妻 (Mr and Mrs Smith) which was released in 2005. Although the idea of the name and the poster is borrowed from a foreign movie, but the plot is completely new.
Code-Mixing in Hong Kong Movies
Code-mixing is so familiar with Hong Kongers, you will see more examples in Canton- pop and the page of advertising. Here are the video clips of some Hong Kong movies which can show the use of code-mixing in different contexts..
An excerpt from 大話西遊 (1995)
In this video, code-mixing is a technique to delivery a sense of humour. It revises the famous English song "Only You", and keeps the the lyrics "only you" and changes the other lyrics to Chinese and other English phrases.
In this video, code-mixing is a technique to delivery a sense of humour. It revises the famous English song "Only You", and keeps the the lyrics "only you" and changes the other lyrics to Chinese and other English phrases.
Revised "Only You"
Only you, can take me 取西經
Only you, can take me to the West to get the scriptures
Only you, 能殺妖精鬼怪
Only you, can kill the monsters and ghosts
Only you, 能保護我Only you, can protect me
唔駛俾啲螃蟹和蚌精DAP我
Let the monsters of crabs and shells can't eat me
只有你咁勁,就是Only you--!
Only you are so strong, that is only you
Only you--!
Only you
別怪師傅喑;戴返個箍,莫怕死咪發ti teng;
Don't blame for my wordy character, wear your headband , don't be afraid of death, don't tremble because of fear
碰到釘咪驚,I understand,
when you encounter failure, don't be afraid, I understand
要全力地去do,要驚就兩份驚,
(We) have to do our best, if it is terrible, I will face the terror with you,
喃嘸阿彌陀佛!
naam mou o mei to fat! ( an expression from Buddhism)
On-On--!
Oh- Oh
Only you, can take me to the West to get the scriptures
Only you, 能殺妖精鬼怪
Only you, can kill the monsters and ghosts
Only you, 能保護我Only you, can protect me
唔駛俾啲螃蟹和蚌精DAP我
Let the monsters of crabs and shells can't eat me
只有你咁勁,就是Only you--!
Only you are so strong, that is only you
Only you--!
Only you
別怪師傅喑;戴返個箍,莫怕死咪發ti teng;
Don't blame for my wordy character, wear your headband , don't be afraid of death, don't tremble because of fear
碰到釘咪驚,I understand,
when you encounter failure, don't be afraid, I understand
要全力地去do,要驚就兩份驚,
(We) have to do our best, if it is terrible, I will face the terror with you,
喃嘸阿彌陀佛!
naam mou o mei to fat! ( an expression from Buddhism)
On-On--!
Oh- Oh
Trailer of "志明與春嬌(Love in Puff) " (2010)
From this trailer which lasts around 2 minutes, we can see how do Hong Kongers code-mix in their daily conversation, for example "pick up girl", "see you tomorrow" . It is spontaneous and natural. In fact, it is difficult to find a contemporary Hong Kong movie with completely no code-mixing in it. I can say, the possibility tends to zero.